Talking About Kids

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If you are a parent or you work with parents, then you know that the topic of paying for college can be unpleasant, which I why I am so glad that I was introduced to this episode’s guest, Ann Garcia.  Her book, How to Pay for College, is easy-to-read and implement.  More importantly, Ann is committed to the belief there is a college that fits your budget, your values, and your kid, but it might not be the one you are focused on right now. More information about Ann, including information on purchasing How to Pay for College, can be found at www.TalkingAboutKids.com.

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With all of the headlines about the pending death of writing at the hands of artificial intelligence like ChatGPT, I thought it would be useful to talk about the value of reading and writing and how we inspire kids to do both. My guest to help explore these issues is Sharon Lynn. Sharon teaches writing at UAT, a technology university where the students and faculty are very familiar with chat bots. She and I discuss strategies for engaging students and her own experience writing and finding a publisher for her wonderful new book, Death Takes a Bath: A Cotswolds Crimes Mystery. More information about Sharon and her book can be found at www.TalkingAboutKids.com.

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As communities struggle to address the impact of the pandemic on student learning and well-being, there seems to be renewed interest in year-round schools.  In this episode of the Talking About Kids podcast, I wanted to address what year-round schooling is and what we know about it. To answer these questions, I enlisted the help of Cara Jackson, a Senior Associate at Abt Associates who evaluates and conducts systematic reviews of educational programs. In response to Education Next’s article, “Busting the Myths About Year-Round School Calendars,” Cara recently wrote a piece entitled, “Do Year-Round Schools Work? Three Questions to Ask.”  We ask and answer those questions here. More information about Cara and some resources hand-picked by her are at www.TalkingAboutKids.com.

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The science is clear:  Kids need to be able to regulate their emotions and overcome adversity and frustration to be successful in a classroom, in relationships, and in life.  Social and emotional skills do not detract from learning other subjects. Rather, these skills allow all learning to occur. My guest this episode, Kate Lund, knows this.  As she bravely describes in her book, Bounce:  Help Your Child Build Resilience and Thrive in School, Sports and Life, Kate's own early childhood experiences taught her the importance of managing emotions and of resilience. She brings these insights to her work as a clinical psychologist and a peak performance coach, and she is sharing them here for you. More information about Kate and her work can be found at www.TalkingAboutKids.com.

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In this final mini Holiday Break episode, I asked Dan Uttech and Anthony Smith, two Response to Intervention Behavior Specialists from Cartwright Unified School District in Phoenix, to share insights on their approach to their roles and to address misconceptions that might exist between parents and school faculty and staff. More information about Cartwright Unified School District is at www.TalkingAboutKids.com. Full episodes of Talking about Kids return next week when my guest will be psychologist and best-selling author Kate Lund.

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In this fourth mini Holiday Break episode, I address Teens and Pornography, the new report from Common Sense Media; I discuss what is and what is not included in the report; and I offer my own interpretation of some of the findings. Links to the research I cite are at www.TalkingAboutKids.com.  Full-length Talking About Kids episodes will return later in this new year.

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In this third mini Holiday Break episode, I look at the research on Pediatric Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). I present its definition, describe its prevalence, explore why we should care, and describe treatment options. Links to the research I cite are at www.TalkingAboutKids.com.  Full-length Talking About Kids episodes will return later in this new year.

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In this second mini Holiday Break episode, I look at the science of why New Year's resolutions fail or succeed, connecting it to the research on students' success in the classroom. Links to the research I cite can be found at www.TalkingAboutKids.com. Full-length Talking About Kids episodes will return later in this new year.

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In this first mini Holiday Break episode, I explore the research on the ways being exposed to foreign cultures impacts children and adolescents. Links to the research I cite can be found at www.TalkingAboutKids.com.  Full-length Talking About Kids episodes will return in the new year.

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In the United States, 6.6% of public-school students are enrolled in gifted and talented programs, but enrollment is not evenly distributed. For example, 12.6% of Asian students are enrolled, but only 4.5% of Hispanic students and 3.6% of Black students are. Scott Peters, my guest for this episode, has been studying and writing about these and other discrepancies for some time. Scott is a Senior Research Scientist at NWEA, where he specializes in educational assessment and data use. A series of articles he wrote about equity within gifted and talented programs is receiving a lot of attention, and I am grateful that he agreed to share his insights in this podcast. More information about Scott and his research can be found at www.TalkingAboutKids.com.